Download Antibiotics Work

Influenza Virus
Flu
Streptococcus
Pneumoniae Bacteria
•Ear infections
•Meningitis
•Pneumonia
A communicable disease is disease that can be
passed from one person to another. These
diseases are often caused by germs, such as
bacteria or viruses.
Antibiotics & Antibiotic
Resistance
Some examples of contagious bacterial
diseases are:
-strep throat
-impetigo
-pertussis (whooping
cough)
-bacterial conjunctivitis
(pink eye)
Antibiotics Work
Some contagious viral infections include:
•varicella (chicken pox)
•rubella (German measles)
•the common cold
•hepatitis
•mumps
•infectious mononucleosis
•rubeola (measles)
Antibiotics Don’t Work
Why do young children
have more illness?
Infection can result from sharing towels,
dishes, or from handling contaminated objects.
Indirect contact or skin to skin contact can
also result in the spread of an illness.
Sometimes an illness is passed to others by
a carrier, or a person who has been infected
by a germ but does not look or feel sick. This
person may carry the germ in their nose,
throat, or stomach. They can pass the germ
to others by coughing, sneezing, or by not
washing their hands properly.
• Your hands carry
Light patches indicate
germs carried on the
hands
many germs even
if you can’t see
them.
• Many people don’t
wash their hands
because they look
clean.
• As you can see
this is not always
the case.
How are Bacteria and
Viruses Different?
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Viruses
• cause most common respiratory
•
•
•
•
illnesses, such as colds and coughs
cause a variety of infections from
diarrhea to meningitis
may take 2-3 weeks to resolve
completely
some viruses can be prevented by
vaccines and immunizations
antibiotics do not work for viruses
Viruses Cause...
• Most bronchitis/chest colds
• Green/yellow nasal discharge
• Flu
• Most sore throats
• Ear aches and some sinusitis
….viruses clear up on their
own - antibiotics won't help!
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Bacteria
• make you sick when they are where
they don’t belong or grow more rapidly
than normal
• live in your mouth, nose and throat
• are necessary for normal body functions
like digestion
• are one of the oldest living things on
Earth
Bacteria Cause...
• Strep throat
• Some ear infections
• Some sinus infections
• Pneumonia
...these can be treated with antibiotics
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Virus or Bacteria:
Who Knows?
• Let your healthcare provider
decide!
• It is often hard to tell if illnesses
are caused by a virus or bacteria
• Don't pressure healthcare
providers or parents for antibiotics
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What are
Antibiotics?
Powerful medicines with one very
important job: to fight disease-causing
bacteria.
When used properly, antibiotics can save
lives.
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Antibiotic Resistant
Bacteria Are:
Bacteria that mutate and are
able to resist the antibiotics that
are meant to kill them.
This is a normal process speeded
up by the overuse and misuse of
antibiotics.
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What is Antibiotic Misuse?
• Taking antibiotics when they are not needed:
– for viral infections
• When needed, taking antibiotics incorrectly:
– stopping the medicine when you feel
better - not finishing the prescription
– saving antibiotics for a future illness
– sharing or using someone else’s medicine
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Why is Antibiotic Misuse
a Problem?
1. Antibiotics become less effective and
may not work the next time you use
them.
2. Improper use of antibiotics leads to
more antibiotic resistant bacteria.
3. Antibiotic resistant bacteria can be
spread throughout the community and
from person to person.
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Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria
• Require stronger antibiotics
• Are more common in people who
recently used antibiotics*
• Can be spread within a family or a
community
• Can affect anyone
• Are becoming more common
*Pediatrics, Vol. 112 No. 4, p. 862-69, October 2003
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Myths & Facts about
Antibiotics and
Respiratory Illness
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Myths and Facts
• Myth: Taking antibiotics means I or
my child can return to work or
childcare sooner
• Fact: Antibiotics do not shorten the
duration of viral illnesses
Everyone should stay home until they
are fever-free and well enough to
participate in activities whether they
have a viral or bacterial illness.
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Myths and Facts
• Myth: Cold and flu symptoms will feel
better or get better faster on antibiotics
• Fact: Antibiotics cannot ease the
symptoms of viral illnesses; these
infections resolve on their own
Children and adults need extra rest and
care, extra fluids…not antibiotics,
symptomatic relief is helpful
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Myths and Facts
• Myth: Illnesses with the same
symptoms require antibiotics
• Fact: Illnesses with similar symptoms
can be caused by different germs
Let a healthcare provider decide if the
illness is caused by a virus or bacteria and if antibiotics are needed
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Myths and Facts
• Myth: If I take an antibiotic, I won’t
spread my illness to others
• Fact: Viral illnesses (colds, flu, etc.)
usually spread from person to person
before the onset of symptoms; before a
person appears ill
Antibiotics cannot stop the spread of viral
illnesses
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How do we Stop Antibiotic
Misuse?
• Don’t ask for antibiotics – let your
doctor decide if you need them
• Always take antibiotics exactly as
prescribed
• Finish the whole prescription - do not
stop when you feel better
• Never save antibiotics for a future
illness – or share with others
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How Can You Keep
Yourself Well
Handwashing
Immunizations
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Wash Your Hands...
• Upon arrival to and before leaving work
• Before and after handling food
• Before and after toileting
• After:
– working outside
– handling pets
– handling any body fluids
– wiping a child's nose or your own
– using play dough, sand or water tables
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Hand Washing is Important
Because…
• 80% of disease is
spread by your hands.
• Hand washing is the
most effective way to
prevent the spread of
respiratory illness.
• Some germs can live
on dry surfaces for
several hours and
moist surfaces like,
sinks for 3 days.
Handwashing Guidelines
• Wet hands with warm, running water
• Add soap (preferably liquid), rub hands
together to make a lather, away from
water, for at least 15 seconds
• Rinse hands well
• Dry thoroughly with a clean, disposable
towel
• Use a hand sanitizer (alcohol-based)
when soap and running water is not
available (when outside or on trips,
wash hands upon return from trips)
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Despite Good Handwashing,
Children and adults will still
get sick...
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Immunizations
• Immunizations are another
important part of infection
control for vaccine
preventable disease
• Make sure you and your
family is up-to-date on
immunizations
• Get an annual flu shot
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Take Home Messages
•Viruses cause most common
respiratory illnesses
•Viral illness needs time to heal antibiotics cannot help
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Take Home Messages
• Taking antibiotics for viral illnesses will
not:
– cure the infection
– keep others from getting the illness
– make you feel better
But it will make it more likely you
will have resistant bacteria in your
body.
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Bottom Line
• Antibiotics are powerful medicines, but
they're not always the answer!
• Misusing antibiotics now means they
may not work when needed later to
fight a bacterial infection
• We all need to play a role to help keep
antibiotics working!
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